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Liberia has a high crime rate, from petty to serious. Find out how to stay safe and avoid crime while traveling.
Photo © Getty Images/Nick Fraser - Asali Photography
Most visits to Libera will be without incident, and crimes in Liberia tend to be opportunity-based and usually occur at night.
- Potential Liberian Police Problems
- No-go Zones in Liberia
- Rape Risk in Liberia
- Escaped Prisoner Threats in Liberia
Potential Liberian police problems
The Liberian National Police have a strong presence in the capital city of Monrovia, but it has limited resources outside of Monrovia.
The police can actually be a bit of a problem. While they're nowhere near as corrupt as they used to be, some members of the police force still stop foreign travelers and not release them until some form of bribe has been delivered, so watch out for that.
Make sure you have a copy of your passport on you at all times, so if local authorities do decide to question you, you have readily available proof of identity and nationality.
No-go zones in Liberia: places to avoid
Liberia is one of those places where you need to be on your guard almost everywhere. Monrovia gets much worse at night, but it can be dangerous during the day as well.
Areas occupied and frequented by foreigners aren't regarded as safe, even though they are (marginally) safer than other areas.
Mamba Point and Sinkor in Monrovia, where foreigners tend to stay, have had many reported incidents of mugging, assault and other crimes. Foreign workers aren't safe in their locals either, and burglaries do occur in hotels.
West Point, one of the many slum areas in the capital, Monrovia is also one of the most dangerous places in Liberia. In addition to the prevalent crime, diseases like tuberculosis, and gastro and more frequently infect the 80,000 residents who live there, no thanks to the poor sanitation conditions present.
Theft and armed extortion has happened in taxis, and it's a good idea to stay away from public transport altogether. Do your research and only stay in reputable accommodation with security arrangements, and arrange for transport, including travel to and from the airport, in advance.
Don't travel outside of Monrovia at night. The roads are badly maintained and the countryside has more than enough criminals with automatic weapons who won't hesitate to use them. Check the security situation before traveling anywhere in the country.
Rape risk in Liberia
Liberia has one of the highest rates of rape in the world. There have been incidents of rape and attempted rape on expatriate women, many of whom worked for charity organizations of the UN.
If you're female, don't believe that because you're there to help, you won't be harmed.
Escaped prisoner threats in Liberia
Liberia has many mass escapes from its prisons, and those escapees are rarely recaptured.
This means there are a lot of men more desperate than usual, and are highly likely to be armed and looking for a getaway vehicle. If you're approached by strangers while driving, be very careful and make sure your windows are up and the doors locked.
This especially applies both in high-population areas, and when driving off the main roads.
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